Interpol has issued a red notice for the arrest of Chandima Anil Withanaarachchi, a Sri Lankan lawyer, and now web operator, wanted on charges of counterfeiting and forgery.The move follows a request made by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
The CID has forwarded a dossier to Interpol or the International Criminal Police Organisation headquarters in Lyons, France, about Withanaarachchi.
He is charged before the Colombo High Court for allegedly forging, aiding, abetting and collectively conspiring to prepare forged documents including a deed of gift on March 23 this year,
The High Court issued an open warrant for the arrest of Withanaarachchi after he failed to turn up in Court. The case is fixed to be heard again on September 16.
The issue of an Interpol Red Notice means Police in any country could arrest the person named and have him or her deported to the country that made the request. Consequent to the publication of the Red Notice, all air and seaports worldwide are alerted to lookout for the person named.
Since Interpol posted the Red Notice on its website calling for the arrest late last month, the CID has again informed Interpol that it has now been found out that Withanaarachchi is hiding in the United Kingdom. CID investigations have revealed that Withanarachchi is the official registrant of the controversial Lankanewsweb.com reporting on Sri Lanka. CID officials have found that the website is uplinked from Bradford in the UK. It has been functioning as an anonymous website under privacy protection using only an e-mail address for contact purposes.
CID sources said yesterday they would seek the assistance of Scotland Yard to arrest and deport Withanaarachchi to Sri Lanka to face charges.
 |
| The open warrant issued by the Colombo High Court |
 |
| The interpol notice |
|
E-mail
